An Outdoor Overture
By his very nature Copland was completely dedicated to the cause of the creation and encouragement of an indigenous American music—in every manifestation of the idea. So it came to pass that relatively early in his stylistic move to a more “accessible” musical style that explored American indigenous elements, he composed An Outdoor Overture. The title is a bit misleading, for it played nothing in the creation, nor is it reflective of anything specific in the music itself. In 1938 he was urged by the head of the music department of the High School of Music and Art in New York City to compose a work for the school’s orchestra to more or less kick off a campaign promulgating “American Music for American Youth.” Always a supporter of music education, Copland interr >>>